Selection and Judging of Swine

ObjectivesIdentifying Parts of a Live Hog

Select High-quality Breeding Stock

Correctly Place and Give Oral Reason for Placing a Ring of Four Market Hogs.

Parts of Live Hog

Ear neck shoulder back loin rump tail

eye face

Jowl front leg knee pastern Forearm

Fore rib fore flank

Belly rear flank

Ham

Stifle

Hock

Rear leg

Dew Claw

Foot

Selecting a Herd Boar

Reproductive soundness Type and quality Performance testing

results Pedigree

Health Age Show ring performance

Factors to consider in selecting the herd boar

Reproductive Soundness Select a boar that has visibly sound reproductive

organs. The testicles should be well developed and of

equal size. Do not select boars that have umbilical or scrotal

hernias. Select boars that are aggressive and show a desire

to mate.

Type and Quality

A boar that has traits of the meaty hog Length, loin-eye area and back fat have high

heritability Look for soundness of feet and legs Flat underline, trimness and muscling Frame and body capacity

Performance Testing

Age at 230 pounds Amount of back fat Average daily gain Feed efficiency Carcass quality

Loin-eye area Weaning weight

Typically 2 or three from the same litter will be tested

Pedigree

A pedigree shows the ancestry of the boar. It can be helpful in determining the potential

breeding value of the boar. You can possibly check performance testing on

close ancestors.

Health

You should check the health of the herd from where the boar comes.

Buy only healthy boars from healthy herds. Boar should have a negative blood test for

brucellosis, leptospirosis, and pseudorabies. He should be vaccinated for erysipelas. Should be free of external and internal parasites.

Age

Boars should not be used for breeding purposes before they are nine months of age.

Replacement boars should be bought 60 to 90 days before using.

Show Ring Performance

Carcass shows test approximately 50 head to see how growth and other traits are.

Performance shows identify lines that are producing good traits that are in demand in the meaty hog.

Selecting Gilts and Sows Factors to be considered when selecting gilts and sows

An animal that is sound is free from defects.

Gilts with small vulvas should not be kept.

Look for at least 6 good teats on each side.

Udder sections need to be well spaced.

Look for strong pasterns, sound feet and legs.

Cull sows that have problems farrowing.

Soundness

Conformation

Have adequate length Smooth muscling in the ham and shoulders Select only for standards of meaty hogs

Gain Goal is 230 lbs in 175 days or less Obtain information on gain and feed efficiency of

the breed

Litter size Select gilts from large litters. The ability of the sow to raise large litters is an

indication of mothering ability. Cull sows from small litters, that have difficulty

farrowing or poor milking ability.

HealthSelect only health gilts and sows.

Gilt should be tested for brucellosis, Leptospirosis, and pseudorabies.

Select replacement gilts from home herds.

Selecting Feeder PigsFactors to Consider When Buying Feeder

Pigs are:

Health

Type

Size

Uniformity

Health Do not select pigs that

have signs such as coughing, infected eyes, rough hair coats, pot bellies, gauntness, listless acting.

Pigs should be wormed, tail docked, and castrated.

Do not select if they show signs of external parasites.

A pig with atrophic rhinitis

More FactorsType

Choose meaty type Lengthy and not too fat

Uniformity Choose pig uniform in age,

size, condition and type. When these traits are uniform,

they will tend to reach market weight at the same time.

Sizeo Select feeder pigs from 35

to 80 lbs.o Select large pigs for their

age.o Size for their age is more

important than fat or condition.

Judging Hogs

You must know the parts of a live hog to judge a hog.

Look at them from a distance of about 15 feet. Judge them as they walk around the ring. Take notes for reference while judging. Compare each hog with the ideal hog and with

others in the class.

Judging Market HogsLook for these traits

TypeMusclingFinishFillYield of lean cuts

QualityBalanceStyleSmoothness

Type Type refers to the conformation of the hogs body. It is judged on the basis of length of side and skeletal size.

(To estimate length, look the the distance from a point in the center of the ham to the forepart of the shoulder.) A two hundred pound hog should be 26 to 33 inches.

A meaty hog would be 29.5”. A short hog is never considered a good meaty hog

regardless of muscling, finish or balance.

Muscling Best observed by examining the hog from the rear. The hog should show a wide back and loin and a

deep rump.

Width must be due to muscling and not fat.

There is greater width in the ham and loin and not the back.

Finish Refers to the amount of fat on the hog. Is measured by the amount of backfat at three points on the top of

the hog.

1. Over the shoulder (the first rib).

2. Over the loin (the last rib).

3. Over the rump. The average backfat on a 230 lb. Hog ranges from .9 – 3.0”. #1 hogs have less than 1/5”. Visible signs of too much fat are: heavy, wasty jowl; Shaky

middle; Square top; Looseness in the ham and crotch; Or a roll of fat over the shoulder.

Fill

Refers to the middle of the hog.If the hog has too much middle, it has a

lower dressing percentage.The lean cuts will also be lower.This lowers the value of the hog.

Yield of Lean Cuts

Important factor in the value of a market hog. The wholesale cuts with a greater value are the

ham (leg), loin, picnic shoulder. Boston shoulder, and bacon.

The meaty hog yields more than 40% of its liveweight in lean cuts.

Quality Refers to the degree of refinement of the head,

hair, and bone. The head and bone should be moderate in

refinement. Hogs that are too coarse or too refined are not

desirable. The hair coat should be smooth. The hide should be smooth and free of wrinkles.

Balance

Balance is how the body parts are proportioned.

All parts of the body should be in proportion to one another.

A well balanced hog will by tight framed.

Style

Style refers to how the hog appeals to the eye.

Balance influences style.A tight framed hog that moves well, with the

correct arch, has style.

Smoothness

Means possessing correct skeletal structure and a skin free of wrinkles.

The correct arch and a smooth shoulder are important points to look for.

Pigs with rough skins or roughness over the shoulder are undesirable.

Breeding Hogs Breeding hogs should have the same body traits as

market hogs. In addition, the following points are used in

judging.1. Underline: The mammary development. A minimum of 6 teats per side. None inverted or scarred.

2. Breed character: Traits of the breed. Gilt should show femininity, boars, masculinity.

3. Soundness: The feet and legs are important. They must have good feet and legs. Legs should be strong and straight and should set out well on the corners of the hog.

Judging Termsfor Market and Breeding Hogs

Longer, bigger framed Typier, meatier Longer and deeper in the

ham Higher Quality Higher quality Firmer, heavier muscled

ham

Squarer rump Thicker through the rump Meatier and wider at the

loin More natural thickness

down the top Cleaner, trimmer along the

loin edge.

More General Terms Trimmer Jowl Larger skeletal structure Heavier Muscled Trimmer Finish Smoother sounder on front legs Heavier bone Nicer turn over loin Longer, more correct

muscle structure

More correct turn over the top

Trimmer underline

Market Hog Terms Longer, larger framed Heavier muscled Longer, stretchier side Firmer Finished barrow Smoother Side More uniformed rump Longer rump Trimmer middled More uniform arch

Typier, meatier barrow Longer, deeper, fuller in

the ham Cleaner top 0ore correctly finished More muscling over the

top Thicker loin Trimmer in jowl and

underline

Breeding Hog Terms Sounder underline Stands and walks more

correctly More evenly spaced

nipples Shows more femininity Wider Fronted Meatier gilt roomier-middled gilt Shows more size & scale

More desirable set to legs Broodier More breed character Straighter front or hind

legs More rugged, heavier bone Longer, deeper sides Growthier Deeper, wider sprung

Review Time

Please fill out your worksheets

Review Worksheet 1. Name three highly inherited traits in a hog.

2. Why is selection of a herd boar so important to the hog breeder?

3. Name three things that are very important in selecting a herd boar.

4. At what age should you start using a boar for breeding purposes?

5. What is a pedigree and why is it helpful when selecting a boar for your herd?

6. Name three traits that you should look for when selecting a replacement sow or gilt?